FIR lodged against India Info Line

A case has been registered by the city police against India Info Line Limited for allegedly cheating another company Ensemble Infrastructure Limited to the tune of Rs four crore.

An FIR has been lodged against India Info Line, including its Chairman Nirmal Jain and Director Mukesh Kumar Singh, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for criminal breach of trust, cheating and fraud following an order from the Dadar metropolitan magistrate on September 2.

According to the complaint, Ensemble had been awarded a contract of Rs 8 crore on June 2 last year to execute interiors for the office of India Info Line at the Indiabulls center in central Mumbai.

"As per the contract, India Info Line was required to pay an advance of 20 per cent of the contract value (Rs 1.63 crore) and further payments were to be made later in installments. The company however paid us an advance of Rs 77 lakh only," Director of Ensemble, Vikas Rathod told PTI.

He further said that till November 2008, India Info Line did not make any payments even as Ensemble continued the work at the office. "No payments were received by us even afterrepeated assurances from India Info Line," Rathod said.

He also alleged that on November 6 last year, his workers were forcibly removed from the site and equipments were illegaly confiscated by the accused, who directed them not to enter the site henceforth.

Following this, Ensemble moved the Bombay High Court, which ordered the matter to be referred to arbitration for recovery of money.

Ensemble had also approached the metropolitan magistrate, which directed the N M Joshi Marg police to lodge an FIR and investigate.

India Info Line, while refuting the allegations levelled by Ensemble, has said that the contract between the two companies was terminated due to Ensemble's poor and slow progress.

"According to the contract, the office was to be furnished and delivered to us by September 2008 but till November, Ensemble had made little progress due to which we decided to terminate the contract and recover the advance payment of Rs 77 lakh," India Info Line Vice-President Harshad Apte told PTI.

"Ensemble has misrepresented the facts before the magistrate and we will take the necessary legal steps to challenge this and to recover our money," Apte said.

He further added that Ensemble had agreed for the matter to be decided by the arbitrator and thus the matter is sub-judice.